The Lusitania

On May 7, 1915, the British ocean liner RMS Lusitania, rival of the Titanic, was torpedoed by a German U-boat and sunk. Of the 1,959 people on board, 1,198 died, including 128 Americans. The sinking of the Lusitania enraged Americans (even though they had been warned) and hastened the United States' entrance into World War I.

1) Would you know how to escape a sinking ship? List 5 steps you could take to ensure your survival.

2) What did the passengers of the Lusitania do wrong?

3) Titanic vs Lusitania: Who survived and why?

4) Was anyone on board both Titanic and Lusitania when they sank?

Crucible of Empire

Teddy Roosevelt charging up the San Juan Heights, the Rough Riders and the sinking of the battleship, the U.S.S. Maine---these are what people commonly know about the United States' war with Spain in 1898. What they may not remember is that this was the war that steered the United States to center stage as a world power. Victorious over Spain in Cuba and the Philippines, the United States, a nation founded in opposition to imperialism, grappled with its new role as an imperial power.

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